OUR PARIS LETTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17758, 30 January 1926, Page 18

OUR PARIS LETTER.

(From PAULINE COURLANDER.) Nearly all the most desirable afternoon frocks, even quite airy-fairy ones, are made with high necks and long sleeves. The sleeves are mostly quite tight-fitting to the wrist, but the cuffs are varied in size and shape. There are enormous folded gauntlet cuffs, square ones much wider than the wrist, or petal cuffs falling half over the hands. As much depends upon the neck and sleeves of the modern frock, they are well worth making a special study. Both should follow the lines of the human form, without appearing the least bit irksome; in fact, perfect freedom without any unnecessary bulk should be our motto in all details of dress. PETAL SKIRTS. * Georgette is still a very great favourite. It is worn in robust browns, golds and royal blues as well as in the most delicate and exquisite tints like the pink of the blush rambler or the yellow of the honeysuckle. Lace is worn as often under georgette as over it. A petal skirt with each petal piped in silk shows a lace underskirt dyed to match it exactly. A godet skirt is attached to the long bodice by a line of scallops with piping, and each godet is outlined with piping. A flimsy skirt now has the fullness arranged at the back almost as often as in front. It may take the shape of one. two, or even three flounces, and these may honeycombed on to the bodice, or gathered or piped, or the line of demarcation may lje hidden by a ribbon sash’. A slim line can be given to a georgette or mousseline de soie frock by perpendicular rows of lace three or four inches wide, arranged so as to leave a little space of the dress material visible. The lace ends in more or less sudden points, and between these billows the full skirt. SATIN AND CHIFFON DANCE FROCKS. Among the newest models of dance frocks there is one of smoke-grey satin and chiffon. The long sleeveless bodice is of satin, spangled entirely with seed pearls. The handkerchief skirt is of grey chiffon, shaded to rose-pink at the hem. It is really forme;d of two skirts, both very full. One has a straight hem and the upper one dips considerably at the side. To lift the rather sober colouring into something .more lively there is a gorgeous belt of clustering satin flowers, broad in front and narrowinig towards the back.